PTI Leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan Released After Arrest in Crackdown

The police announced that Khan had been cleared of charges filed at the Sangjani police station.

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The police released Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday. The leader was arrested in a crackdown related to the new Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024. The arrest occurred a day prior, prompting widespread criticism from the PTI leader.

The police announced that Khan had been cleared of charges filed at the Sangjani police station. Speaking to reporters after his release, Khan condemned the police’s actions, alleging that masked officers stormed Parliament House and detained at least ten PTI lawmakers. He described September 9 as “a black day for Pakistan” and vowed to make CCTV footage of the arrests public. Khan called on the National Assembly (NA) speaker to investigate what he sees as an attack on parliamentary democracy.

Khan criticized the arrests and the alleged police violence, questioning the legality of extending rally durations. He argued that PTI leaders endured numerous hardships for the country, democracy, and the people. The police crackdown also involved clashes between PTI workers and law enforcement at Chongi No 26, resulting in several arrests, including those of Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman, and Zubair Khan.

Police filed cases against PTI leaders under the new law at Noon Village and Sangjani police stations. The First Information Report (FIR) accused PTI workers of attacking police with batons and stones when officers attempted to prevent deviations from the rally route.

In a related development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) placed senior PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen on judicial remand for violating the new public gathering regulations. During the court session, prosecutor Raja Naveed sought a 15-day physical remand, alleging that PTI workers used police equipment to attack law enforcement. Naveed noted that the rally was permitted from 4 pm to 7 pm, but PTI leadership allegedly provoked and misdirected their supporters.

Defence Attorney Riyasat Ali contested these claims, presenting CCTV footage showing Shaheen’s arrest from his office, which he argued was protected by law. The defence denied allegations of incitement and questioned the basis for the arrest.

Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain reserved his decision on Shaheen’s remand request, while other PTI leaders, including Sher Afzal Marwat and Zain Qureshi, received an eight-day physical remand related to the September 8 incident at Sangjani police station.

In parallel, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reviewed a habeas corpus petition challenging the arrests. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned the Islamabad Inspector-General of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, about the detentions. Rizvi confirmed Shaheen’s presence at the ATC and addressed allegations of police misconduct.

Chief Justice Farooq noted that the case is ongoing and will await the ATC’s ruling on the remand requests. The hearing was adjourned until the next day.